Lacking in IMDb credits as she may be, "Les Misérables" star Samantha Barks is no newcomer to performing: Before being chosen to belt out the part of Eponine in Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper's adaptation of the musical, Barks played Eponine in the West End stage production of the show, as well as the 25th anniversary cast.

A professional performer since the age of 3, Barks is experienced well beyond her 22 years, and now has bragging rights for a lifetime. She worked alongside big names such as Hugh Jackman and Helena Bonham Carter on the movie, and recently spent an evening jumping on a couch and singing with Amanda Seyfried. Barks sat down with NextMovie in New York City ahead of "Les Misérables"' Christmas Day release and dished on karaoke, being a lifelong theater geek and how often she goes out partying. Get More »

He is the lead star of what figures to be one of the biggest hits this holiday season, both at the box office and on the awards circuit, but you wouldn't know it when looking for information on "Life of Pi" star Suraj Sharma.

That's because the 19-year-old Indian was plucked from obscurity via a nationwide talent search to star in the title role of Ang Lee's breathtaking adaptation of Yann Martel's spiritual bestseller.

So as we're known to do with Next Factors, we gather some intel on Suraj (pronounced "Serge") and find out, among other things, that he's just happy to be here, but also really just wants to direct.Get More »

In the film, starring such Hollywood heavyweights as Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener, Poots manages to stand out as Alexandra, a promising young violinist who begins a relationship with her teacher, played by Mark Ivanir, who just so happens to be a member of her parent's quartet that is falling apart. Juicy!

The 23-year-old London native, most recently seen opposite Colin Farrell in "Fright Night," shared with us what it was like to work with some of her idols and whose career path she'd love to follow as her star continues to climb.Get More »

After years of building her career on French television, Bérénice Marlohe has now hit international stardom with her role as the sultry Bond girl Séverine in "Skyfall."

The daughter of a French mother and Cambodian/Chinese father, her exotic look is tailor-made for the franchise that loves its women tall, dark and sexy. In the film she not only gets to share a steamy shower scene with Daniel Craig but also swap spit with Javier Bardem, who plays the film's villain.

Here we chat with the lovely Marlohe about the disadvantages of being a Bond girl and why Facebook stalking sometimes has its advantages. Get More »

Kazan is now pulling double duty in "Ruby Sparks," which arrives on DVD and Blu-ray this week, having written the screenplay and playing the lead. Ruby is a fictional character created by young novelist Calvin (played by Kazan's real-life boyfriend Paul Dano) who suddenly appears in the flesh in Calvin's home the next morning. She's the girl of Calvin's dreams who can also be controlled by whatever he writes with his typewriter. As the movie progresses, their relationship stops being a fantasy and gets really real.

We sat down with this multi-talented actress to talk about writing "Ruby Sparks," Manic Pixie Dream Girls and starring in a new Joss Whedon movie. Get More »

You may recognize Jonny Weston as one of the zombies in "John Dies at the End" or as the ex-boyfriend of an up-and-coming porn star in "About Cherry," but the 24-year-old is making big waves this weekend with his first leading role.

In the biopic "Chasing Mavericks," Weston plays surf legend Jay Moriarty. At the young age of 16, Moriarty became infamous for riding the Mavericks in Santa Cruz, Calif., one of the world's most dangerous surfing destinations. Weston has more than just the blonde, blue-eyed good looks and acting chops to portray Moriarty — he also happens to be an avid surfer with all the right skills for the part.

We had the chance to chat with Weston about his breakout role in "Chasing Mavericks" as well as his board-riding skills and audition experiences while paving the way to Hollywood. Get More »

Sooner rather than later, Britt Robertson won't be an unexpected secret anymore. She'll be a known, respected actress.

The CW starlet, best recognized for her work on "The Secret Circle" and "Life Unexpected," may be continuing along a high school path, but her turn on the big screen with "The First Time" proves that the 22-year-old is ready to graduate to the young Hollywood elite.

In the film, the North Carolina native plays Aubrey, a 16-year-old who meets a guy outside a party and finds an instant connection. Thankfully, Robertson also finds a solid connection with her co-star, "Teen Wolf"'s Dylan O'Brien, and together they manage to offer a special glimpse into the epicness a single weekend can bring, especially when it means falling in love for the first time.

Not unlike Aubrey herself, Robertson offers us a likeable frankness when describing that chemistry and the career she dreams of having. In fact, you'll never guess the actor she's idolizing most right now …Get More »

Parisienne Léa Seydoux has only been acting for a few years but she's been racking up credits in big-name American films and art house gems alike. (She is also the gamine face of Prada Candy perfume and has appeared in ad campaigns for Prada Resort.)

Seydoux's resume includes "Inglourious Basterds," "Robin Hood," "Midnight in Paris" and "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," as well as foreign films like "Farewell, My Queen" with Diane Kruger and "Mysteries of Lisbon" by the late Raoul Ruiz. Her latest film, "Sister," is a drama about a preteen boy who steals and sells ski equipment at a fancy Swiss resort to support himself and his older sister. Louise, played by Seydoux, can't or won't keep a job and occasionally disappears for days on end to leave wily Simon (Kacey Mottet Klein) to fend for himself. "Sister," which was directed and co-written by Ursula Meier, is Switzerland's official Oscar submission, so between that and Seydoux's upcoming films, you'll be seeing a lot more of this gorgeous actress in the future. Get More »

Jennifer Garner might have met her match. Her name is Yara Shahidi ... and she's 12 years old.

In the new movie "Butter," Shahidi plays the adoptive daughter of Alicia Silverstone and Rob Corddry. She also happens to be an aspiring butter carving champion. Hey, you gotta have a dream. Garner, in all her glory, is the woman to beat. May the best butter-carving lady win.

Though Shahidi has already has an impressive resume, which includes "Imagine That" with Eddie Murphy, a guest spot on "Wizards of Waverly Place" and "Salt" opposite Angelina Jolie, "Butter" really lets her show her comedy chops in a fresh way. We sat down with the young star to talk about the fascinating world of butter carving, what it's like working with her brother and why she doesn't think she has it all figured out just yet.Get More »

Max Thieriot is not even 24 years old but has already worked with notable directors like Doug Liman, Atom Egoyan, Wes Craven and Nick Cassavetes. Thieriot made his big-screen debut in 2004's "Catch That Kid" opposite Kristen Stewart, with whom he remains close friends. You might recognize him as the younger version of Hayden Christensen's character in "Jumper" and for roles in movies like the horror film "My Soul to Take" and the psychosexual drama "Chloe."

In the thriller "House at the End of the Street," Thieriot plays a young man, Ryan, who lives in said house where both of his parents were brutally murdered. This has rendered him an outcast in the small community, but that doesn’t seem to bother Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence), who's moved in down the street with her overprotective mother (Elisabeth Shue) and who feels connected to Ryan. Is he really a nice guy who just had bad things happen to him or does mother know best?

We caught up with Thieriot just before "House at the End of the Street" opens in theaters on Friday and asked him important questions like how to pronounce his last name, how sexy it was or wasn't to play Hunger Games with Jennifer Lawrence's face on camera and his enduring friendship with K.Stew. Get More »